Why is The House Detective television's oldest and most successful real estate program?
In 1953 Cy Newman was the first to present homes for sale on New York television. The earliest programs were only 15 minutes long and some would run just before Brooklyn Dodgers baseball games on WOR - TV.
The popularity of The House Detective during the baby boom of the 1950's had the show spreading up and down the east coast from New Jersey to Florida and as far west as Ohio. Cy's sons, Rich (Las Vegas) and Joe (Indianapolis) carried on the tradition for more than 25 years.
In 1994 Cy's youngest son Dave began producing The House Detective in Reno on ABC affiliate, KOLO-TV. In December of 2009 The House Detective moved from its traditional Sunday morning spot to Saturday afternoons on CBS affiliate, KTVN Channel 2. Still the show continues to produce a new program each week continuing a run of more than 30 years in Northern Nevada.
A spin-off of The House Detective called New Home Showcase filled a niche for the new home market in 2000. Later renamed The House Detective Saturday Edition, the show aired weekly on Saturday afternoons on KTVN, CBS-Reno, Channel 2 until 2008. During that same time The House Detective spread it's legs over the hill to Sacramento, California. The House Detective was recorded and aired on KXTV, News 10. After more than 200 episodes the program came off air as a result of the struggling California housing market.
Starting June 2008, The House Detective went somewhere that in the show's history had never gone, international. The House Detective Mexico Edition signed on the air across North America featuring communities throughout Mexico. Onsite location shooting from San Felipe to Puerto Escondito east to Cancun, the House Detective Mexico Edition featured new home communities all over the country and aired across North America on multiple national and international networks. The House Detective Mexico Edition went on hiatus in early 2009 .
As of the fall of 2009 after 15 years of hosting The House Detective in Reno, Sacramento, and Mexico, Dave turned over the on-air hosting portion of the program to third generation "House Detective" son, Greg after working solely as the producer and part-time host. Dave continues to act as a consultant and executive producer of the program each week.
Watch to see what the next generation has to offer each week and where he might go.